Imitative nursing doll



July 19, 1960 R. s. CARTER IMITATIVE NURSING DOLL Filed July 16, 1959 2Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Rwhard 5. Cart By; W g a ATTORNEY July 19, 1960R s, A R 2,945,321

IMITATIVE NURSING DOLL Filed July 16, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 29 3 42 33'7 36 7 v 'r''ii v' 55, ix 35 /0 II I 2, ,4 1 I5 I I I9 I A 17 1 7 I! Iz 1 49/ I: 38 j III 4 34 30 g' 44 nvmvrox Richard 5. Carter BY I gATTORNEY current for operating the motor. {flywheel is on the motor forsetting up a vibratory motion 2,945,321 IMITATIVE NURSING DOLL RichardS. Carter, Flint, Mich., assignor of one-fourth to Dale A. Hicks, 1439$1111 Terrace Drive, Flint, Mich.

Filed July 16, 1959, Ser. No. 827,479 14 Claims. or. 46-247 The presentinvention relates to dolls that mechanically simulate the movements oflive babies in life-like manner,

resiliency so as to return to its original positon and initial shape.The hand on one of the arms is made to receive and frictionally hold ahard plasticnippled bottle that can be removed from the hand forfilling, while the hand on the other arm has the thumb thereon ofoversize and of a'diamete r similar to that of the nipple on thebottleso that either the thumb or the nipple may be manually forced into asnugly fitted mouth opening of the doll against tension of therespective resilient arms. There I is ah'ard rubber or plastic tube inthe hollow head'and body portions of the doll which leads rearwardlyfrom the mouth opening and then downwardly through and out of the body,there being support means at the neck portion of the doll for holdingthe portion of the tube at suchlocation against movement.

Mounted on the span of tubing extending between the mouth opening andthe intermediate support for the tube is a small electric motorcontrolled in its operation by an electric switch mechanism locatedat'the mouth opening and actuated to a closed position by manualinsertion of either the bottle t nipple of oversize thumb in said mouthopening,-there being abattery'within the hollow body of the doll that iswired to the electric motor and switch so as to supply A highlyunbalanced to the doll which together with the pulling force applied bythe resiliency of an arm loosens the nipple orthumb from its frictionalengagement'within the mouth opening I 'after a period of time haselapsed. The manual insertion wof either the nipple or thumb into themouth opening starts the motor and the withdrawal of said nipple orthumb from the mouth opening stops operation of said motor.

It is accordingly an object of the'invention toprovide a novelandimproved doll that creates the impression that it is actually suckingeither a bottle or its thumb in the same manner as a baby would.'Another object of the invention is to providea doll of a the aboveindicated character having its arms resiliently movable to positionswhere anobject on the hand portion of either arm may be manually forcedand frictionally maintained in the mouth opening against tension of said;arms to return and resume their normal position.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a doll of thecharacter set forth, a novel vibratory element for, slowly and quietlyloosening frictional-engagement of the objects on the resilient armsfrom within the mouth e opening and for also producing a fluctuatingmotion to h the doll which so closely resembles a nursing baby that themotion is uncanny.

2,945,321 Patented July 19, 1960 A still further object 'of theinvention is to provide, in a doll of the character outlined, a novelelectrically operated vibratory element and its association and that ofcodependent elements relative to the doll for producing the aforesaidmotion and for operation of said vibratory element only while the object'(bottle, nipple or thumb) remains in the mouth opening.

A still further object of the invention is to provide, in a doll of thecharacter set forth, a novel tubular member communicating with the mouthopening and extending to a location exteriorly of the body forconducting liquid from the bottle and for conducting fluctuating motionfrom a vibratory element to the doll.

A still further object of the invention is to provide, in a doll asoutlined above, a novel holder for a battery that supplies electriccurrent to operate the vibratory element,

said holder completely concealing the battery and permitting quick andeasy removal and replacement thereof.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a doll of the aboveindicated character which is simple and substantial in construction,inexpensive to manufacture, and thoroughly efficient and practical inuse.

These, together with various auxiliary features and objects of theinvention which will later become apparent as the following descriptionproceeds, are attained by the present invention, a preferred embodimentof which has been illustrated, by way of example only, in theaccompanying drawings, where: V

Figure l is a front view of the improved doll seated, and showing thearms in lowered positions;

Figure 2 is aside View of same and showing in dotted lines two diiierentelevated positions of the arms;

Figure 3 is a rear view also of the same showing parts in dotted linesand showing parts broken away and in section;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line 44 of Figure3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged side elevation and sectional view with the lowerportion of the body and legs broken away, and showing one arm raisedwith the bottle nipple in the mouth opening; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary section of a portion of that shown in Figure5, and with the bottle nipple removed from the mouth opening.

Referring now more specifically to the accompanying drawings, whereinlike numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, thenumeral 10 indicates a hollow doll body constructed of rubber, plasticor other resilient material and having a wall 11 of a thicknessproducing a firmness similar to that of a babys flesh and of aresiliency that quickly returns to its original position and initialshape after being flexed. Fixed in and conforming to the shape of theinner surface of the neck portion of the body 10 is a neck block 12 ofwood or other non-resilient material. From opposite sides of said blockdepends arm supporting lugs 13 having cylindrical openings 14therethrough into which are rotatably mounted cylindrical portions 15 ofshoulder blocks 16 fixed to a pair of arms 17 and 17 also of hollowconstruction. The outer sides of the lugs 13 at locations around theopenings 14 and the portions of the body wall 11 covering same areslightly concaved as at 18, and engaging said concaved surfaces aresimilar curved convex surfaces on the portions of arm walls 19 coveringthe shoulder blocks 16, so as to provide socket-like shoulder joints ofthe arms to the body. An elastic band 20 looped through eyes 21 screwedcentrally into the inner ends of the cylindrical portions '15 of theshoulder blocks 16 holds the arms 17 and 17 tight in the shouldersockets so as to frictionally'support said arms in adjusted positionsirrespective of-one another.

There is a radial pin 22 threaded in the cylindrical por- =tion on saidtubular member.

15 of each shoulder block 16 which projects into an arcuate slot 23inthe respective lug 15 of the neck block for engagement with the end 23of the slot and 'thereby'limits upward rotary movementofithe arm at theshoulder joint to the position shown by dotted lines and-indicated bythenumeral 23 inFigure. 3.

-Mounted on the body it) and supported by the neck block12 is a head 24which is also hollow and :which has the wall 25 thereof constructed of aresilient material similar to that of said body and of a contour to forma face 26. While the head 24 is shown as embracing the neck portion ofthe body and as being removable from 'said body for the purpose ofgaining access to the interior thereof, said head may or may not beturnableon said body. At the mouth of the face 26 there is an opening 27into which is affixed the outer end portion of a noniiexible mouth piece2-8 having acylindrical mouth opening 29 therethrough. In the inner endof the mouth opening 29 is cemented or otherwise secured and incommunication therewith the upper end of apliable but relatively hardrubber or plastic tubular member 30, which extends rearwardly in thehollow of the head, as at 31, and then downwardly through an opening 32in the neck block 12 and into the body 10. The tubular member 34 istightly gripped against movement in the opening 32 and has its lower endopen exteriorly of and at the base of the body, as shown at 33 in Figure3, for conducting liquid entering the mouth piece 23 outwardly of saidbody.

Referring again to the arms 17 and 17 which have been defined as beinghollow and resilient, there are hand portions 34 and 34 thereon,respectively, which may be manually forced towards the mouth opening 25?and beyond the limited movement of said arm at the shoulder joints byflexing said resilient arms. Thehand portion 34 is curved so as toengage more than half way around anursing bottle 35 and is of aresiliency suflicient to grip and support the bottle, yet permittingremoval of the bottle from the hand portion so as to replenish liquid tothe bottle. There is a nipple 36 onthe bottle with a reduced end'37 of asize to be snugly received and frictionally maintained in the mouthopening '29against the resiliency of the arm 17 to return its handportion 34 to the position of limited upward adjustmentof the arm at theshoulder joint. The other hand portion 34 has an enlarged thumb 38thereon projecting in a direction so as to be inserted lengthwise intothe mouth opening instead of the nipple 36 of the bottle 35. Thisenlarged thumb is of the same size as that of the reduced end 37 of thenipple and functions in a like manner to that of said nipple wheninserted into the mouth opening 28.

vTo overcome the frictional engagement of either the consists of a smallelectric motor 46 having a highly unbalanced flywheel 41 and a clamp 42secured to the motor casing and engaging about said tubular member in-amanner to support the motor in an upright position Because'of suchmounting of the motor, the nature of its connection to the head, and

'the material from which the head is constructed, the vibrationsproduced atjthe motor are conducted to the -face wall of the head in amanner that they simulate the movement of a babys face while nursing. Ittherefore can be seen that such a construction will produce afluctuation motion directly on the mouth piece 28 which together withthe pull produced by the resilient arm will slowly loosen the object(nipple or thumb) from within the mouth opening.

In the body 10 and securely mounted on the inner side of the backportion of the body wall 11 is a pocket-like holder 43 for housing aflashlightrtype vbattery .44, said jholderconsisting ofa rearwardlyopencasing 45 which is clos'edbythebody wall11 to which it is attached,

nipple or' thumb from within the mouth opening there is .ment with thestationary contact 51 and held in engagement A there being a slit 46through said wall of a length greater than the height of said holder soas to permit the inreplacebatteries asthe resilient body wall 11 willyield to pressures of the battery thereagainst and upon resuming itsnatural position willhold the battery inplace.

Partially imbedded in the wall of the tubular mouthpiece 28, orotherwise affixed thereto, is a movable contact 50 and a stationarycontact 51 which together provide an electric switch. The movablecontact 50 is in the form of a leaf spring that normally remains out ofengageis forced and V with the stationary contact onlywhile the object(nipple 36 or thumb 38) is inserted and remains in the mouth opening 29.A wire 52 connects the movablecontact 50 to. one terminal on the motor40. Another wire 53 connects. the stationary contact 51 to the casingthat houses the battery which in turn engages an end of the battery 44.Still another wire 54 connects the other terminal of the motor 40 to thespring finger 48 that is in contact with the other end, of the battery44, there being a hole 55 in the neck block 12 through which extends thewires 53 and 54 to the battery. The legs 56 and 56 of the doll are shownas being adjustable on the'body 10 in a manner similar to that of thearms 17 and 17 so as to adjust-saidlegs to a position supporting thedoll in a seated position, as, shown iii-Figures 1 through 3. It will beobserved in Figure 2 that the bottle 35, as shown in the dotted lineposition indicated by the numeral 57, is at an inclination that liquidin the bottle 35 will not run into the tubular mouth piece 28 from thebottle and it is when the doll is in a more prone position that liquidfrom the bottle leaks exteriorly of the base of the body 10. However, itis to be understood that the position of the bottle 35 relative to thearm 17 may be'changed to a different angle so that liquid will flow fromthe bottle when the nipple 36 is in the mouth opening 29 and the doll isseated in an upright position.

l. A dollcomprising a body, a head on said body and having a face with amouth opening therein, an arm having a hand portion thereon, an objecton said hand portion and of a size so as to be snugly received andfrictionally maintained in said mouth opening, said arm normallyassuming aposition with the hand portion thereon spaced from said faceand beingresiliently movable towardssaid face so as to permit the objecton said hand portion to be manually forced and frictionally maintainedin the mouth opening against tension of said arm to return to its normalposition, and a vibratory element associated with said doll forproducing a fluctuating motion to the doll which together with theresilient pull on the arm to return to its normal position slowlydislodges the object from within the mouth opening.

2. Adoll as defined in claim 1 whereinthe object on the hand portion ofthe arm is anipple, on abottle removably and resiliently clamped'in saidhand portion.

5 3. Adoll as defined in claim 1 whereinthe-obje'ct 'on the hand portionof the armis an oversize thumb projecting from said hand portion in adirection so as to be inserted lengthwise into the mouth opening.

4. A doll comprising a body, a head on said body and having a face witha mouth opening therein, an arm having a hand portion thereon, an objecton said hand portion and of a size so as to be snugly received and'frictionally maintained in said mouth opening, said arm normallyassuming a position with the hand portion thereon spaced from said faceand being resiliently movable towards said face so as permit the objecton said hand portion to be manually forced and frictionally maintainedin the mouth opening against tension of said arm to return to its normalposition, a vibratory element associated with said doll for producing afluctuating motion to the doll which together with the resilient pull onthe arm to return to its normal position slowly dislodges the objectfrom within the mouth opening, and control means actuated duringpositioning of said object within said mouth opening for eflectingoperation of said vibratory element.

5. A doll comprising a body, a head on said body and having a face witha mouth opening therein, an arm having a hand portion thereon, an objecton said hand portion and of a size so as to be snugly received in saidmouth opening, said arm normally assuming a position with the handportion thereon spaced from'said face and being of resilient material sothat the object on its hand portion may be manually forced andfrictionally maintained in said mouth opening upon flexing of saidresilient arm, and a vibratory element associated with said doll so asto produce a fluctuating motion to the doll which together with the pullproduced by flexing the resilient arm slowly dislodges the object fromWithin the mouth opening.

6. A doll comprising a body, a head on said body and having a face witha mouth opening therein, an arm having a hand portion thereon, an objecton said hand portion and of a size so as to be snugly received in saidmouth opening, said arm being of resilient material so that the objecton its hand portion may be manually forced and frictionally maintainedin said mouth opening upon flexing of said resilient arm, a vibratoryelement associated with said doll so as to produce a fluctuating motionto the doll which together with the pull produced by flexing theresilient arm slowly dislodges the object from within the mouth opening,and control means for said vibratory element and actuated duringpositioning of said object within said mouth opening for effectingoperation of said vibratory element.

7. A doll comprising a body, a head on said body and having a face witha mouth opening therein, an arm having a hand portion thereon andadjustable on said body to a position whereby said hand portion isadjacent and spaced from said face, an object on said hand portion andof a size so as to be snugly received in said mouth opening, said armbeing of resilient material so that the object on its hand portion maybe manually forced and frictionally maintained in said mouth openingupon flexing of said resilient arm beyond said adjusted position towardssaid face, and a vibratory element associated with said doll so as toproduce a fluctuating motion to the doll which together with the elasticpull of the flexed arm slowly dislodges the object from within the mouthopening.

8. A doll comprising a body, a hollow head on said body and having aface with a mouth opening therein, an arm having a hand portion thereonand adjustable on said body to a position whereby said hand portion isadjacent and spaced from said face, an object on said hand portion andof a size so as to be snugly received in said mouth opening, said armbeing of resilient material so that the object on its hand portion maybe manually forced and frictionally maintained in said mouth opening M6I upon flexing of said resilient arm beyond said adjusted positiontowards said face, a tubular member within said hollow head and saidbody and having one of its ends connected to said head and incommunication with said mouth opening and its other end open exteriorlyof said body, and a vibratory element mounted on the portion of saidtubular member within said hollow head so as to conduct a fluctuatingmotion produced by said vibratory element to the mouth portion of thedoll which together with the pull produced by flexing the resilient armslowly dislodges the object from within the mouth opening.

9. A doll comprising a body, a hollow head mounted on said body andhaving a face with a mouth opening therein, an arm having a hand portionthereon and adjustable on said body to a position whereby said handportion is adjacent and spaced from said face, an object on said handportion and of a size so as to be snugly received in said mouth opening,said arm being-of resilient material so that the object on its handportion may be manually forced and frictionally maintained in said mouthopening upon flexing of said resilient arm beyond said adjusted positiontowards said face, an electrically operated vibratory element associatedwith said doll so as to produce fluctuating motion thereto, a batterywithin said doll and wired in a circuit with said vibratory element, anda normally open electric switch also wired in the circuit-and actuatedto a closed position by the insertion of said object into said mouthopening, said fluctuating motion and the pull produced by flexing ofsaid resilient arm providing a source of energy which slowly dislodgesthe object from within the mouth opening and permits said switch toassume its normal open position.

10. A doll comprising a hollow body, a neck block in said body, a hollowhead on said body and supported by said neck block, said head having aface with a mouth opening therein, an arm having a hand portion thereon,an object on said hand portion and of a size so as to be snugly receivedand frictionally maintained in said mouth opening, said arm normallyassuming a position with the hand portion thereon spaced from said faceand being resiliently movable towards said face so as to permit theobject on said hand portion to be manually forced and frictionallymaintained in the mouth opening against tension of said arm to return toits normal position, a tubular member extending through and supported bysaid neck block and having its upper end connected to said head andcommunicating with said mouth opening, said tubular member having itsother end portion extending downwardly in said body and open exteriorlythereof, and a vibratory element mounted on the portion of said tubularmember between said neck block and said mouth opening so as to conduct afluctuating motion at the mouth portion of the face which together withthe resilient pull on the arm to return to its normal position slowlydislodges the object from within the mouth opening.

11. A doll as defined in claim 10 wherein an inwardly directed tubulousmouth piece is interposed between and aflixed to the upper end of thetubular member and the head and comprises the mouth opening, and whereina control means is incorporated in said mouth piece and is actuated bythe insertion of the object therein for effecting operation of thevibratory element.

12. A doll as defined in claim 11 wherein said vibratory elementconsists of an electric motor with an unbalanced flywheel and saidcontrol means consists of an electric contact switch, and wherein thereis provided a battery in said body which is wired to said motor and saidswitch for closing a circuit to the motor upon actuation of said switch.

13. A doll comprising a hollow body portion with the wall thereofconstructed of resilient material, a head on said body and having a facewith a mouth opening therein, an arm having a hand portion thereon, anobject on said hand portion and of a size and shape so as to be receivedand frictionally maintained in said mouth opening, said arm beingresiliently movable towards said face block in said body, a

:soas-to permit-the object on its hand portion to be manuallyiforced-insaid mouth opening, an electrically operqatedvibratory elementassociated with said doll, an-elec- {trio contact switch in said mouthopening and actuated to a :closed' positionbyengagement of saidobjecttherewith, a

' s'aidswitch'and vibratory element and said switch to said vibratoryelement, said vibratory element being arranged to "produce a fluctuatingmotion to the doll which together with the'pull on the resilient arm toreturn it to its normal position slowly dislodges the object from Within'themou'th opening.

"{14'. A doll comprising ahollow body portion with the wa'llthereofconstructed of resilient material, a neck hollow head on said body andsupported-by said neck block, said head being of similar {material tothat of said'body and'having a face-witha 'miouth opening therein, anarm having a handportion :thereoman object on "said hand portion and ofa size shape so as to be received and frictionally maintained 'fin saidmouth opening, said arm being resiliently movable *towa'rds said face soas, topermit the object on its hand lp ortion to be manually forced insaid mouth opening, a

tubular member extendingithrough and. supported-by said neckblock andvhaving its-.upper-end connected vto said head and communicating withsaid mouth opening, said tubular member, having its other endLportiomextending downwardly. in said body and open 'exteriorlythereof,an ,electricallyoperated vibratory element mounted on the Qportion ofsaid tubular member between said neckblock and said mouth opening, anelectriqcontact switch in said :mouth opening and actuated .to a closedposition by engagement of said object therewith, a battery holder fixedto a wallof said body and being closed bysaid wall, a battery-in saidholder, said body wall having a vslit therethrough atesaid batteryholder and of a length greater .thanisaid-holder soas to permit theinsertion of said batterytinsaidholder upon stretching and flexing ofbody wallv portionsat opposite sides of said slit, and-electricwiresconnecting said battery to said switch and vibratory elernentandsaid switch to said vibratory element, said vibratory element beingarranged toproduce a fluctuating motion to the doll which together withthepull on the resilientarm toreturnit to its normal position slowlydislodges the object from within the mouth opening.

References Citedin the file of this patent UNITED "STATES PATENTS13,43,152 Fusch Oct. 16, 1917 FOREIGN "PATENTS 8 08,433 Germany July16,1951

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